Automatic coin-tester for coin-freed apparatus.



i H. WOLLHBIM. AUTOMATIC com TESTER TOR com FREBD APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 27, 1908.

Patented. Deo. 6, 1910.

2 sHBETs-SHBBT 1.

'HTC 11kg* A A MM H. WOLLHEIM. AUTOMATIC GOIN TESTER'FOR GOIN PREED APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 27, 1908. 977371.

2 .SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Dec. 6, 1910,y

'l To all whom it may concern:

sTATEs :PATENT carica HEINRICH woLLHEIM, or IaEIxLIN, GERMANY, AssIeNon To 'THE AIIEnICAN STAMP AND TICKET VENDING MACHINE COMPANY or WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or Co- 'Be it known that I, HEINRICH WOLLHEIM, manager, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Berlin, in t e Empire of German have invented certain new 'and useful mprovements i-n Automatic Coin- Testers for Coin-Freed Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is an automatic device fo-rtesting the greatness, shape,

weight and material or. elasticity of coms which arethrown into coin freed apparatus, preferably into such for strip-shaped material, as for examplestamps or the like,

tickets, bills, coupons, etc.

The essential consist in the articularp combination of the coin tester wit the mechanism of the coin' freed apparatus, in the especial construction ofgthat part of the tester which tests the elasticity of the coins, further vin the automatic movement of this part caused by the mechanism of the. apparatus. A further pe- ,."culiar feature of the invention"beingV the. .'25

combination ofthe means actuated by the I mechanism of the apparatus, for 'the automat-ic4 actuating ofthe part-for testing the elasticity, with automatic means to stop the mechanism of the apparatus on selling oft".

Finally the invention `relates to some immentv of the coin tester and of thek conduits for the-diverse coins.

'.-,In the accompanying drawingsan ex-v ample of a form for carrying out the inven- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a part of the mechanism of the coin freed apparatus folpostage-stamps or the like, with the outer casing removed, and 'in combination with .the coinxtester Vwluchls shown partly in sectlon. Fig. 2 1s a side eleva-tion of thecoin tester, partly in section, the outer casing being removed. Fi -3 is a side elevation 4of a part of the se ling mechanism which shows the connection between the driving mechanism for the coin tester and the means for the automatic stopping of the apparatus on selling olf.

To a partition-wall 1 of the casing inclosing the whole mechanism a bracket 2 is attached upon which the mechanism for the automatic deliveringof the postage-stamps or the like-is supported.' From this mecha- Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed November 27, 1908. Serial No. 464,592.

features. of the' invention4 Patented Dec. 6, 1910.

nisn the peculiar construction of which is `.not of importance for this invention, only some principal parts are illustrated in the drawings. It consists essentially of a caslng having two side parts 3 'which inclose between them the diverse means for feeding the stamp-strip 4 and to separate single cuts of it after a coin has been thrown in. The feeding mechanism for the strip consists of a pair of rollers 5, l6 arranged one' beneath the other which are atbest shown from Fig. 3.V Thel front pair 5, 6 i's-journaled ina separate and removable part 7 ofv the Casing 3 to enable an opening or detachment of the feeding mechanism. This feeding mechanism is operated in a known manner by .the gear wheels 8 which are actuatedl Ifrom the main. shaft 9 and which rotate the feeding rollers 5 and 6 simultaneously and 'i'n the same direction. The main shaft 9 is driven by a. chain-wheel 10 and chain 11`by illustrated in the drawings. The rollers 5, 6

located in the casing part'are automatically "rotated from the rollers located in the caslng 3 by the friction between them `which is caused by the stamp-strip which' is-'moved' paratus, the same being also not illustrated in the drawings as it 1s not of importance for the invention.

The coin tester consists essentially oftwo l separated parts which the coins thrownv in must pass successively. The one part 1'2 bemeans cfa suitable motor which is, not belng an essentlal part 0f the 1nvent1on, notl ing arrangeddirectly behind the introduc- Y ing opening 15 located in-a plate'14 lxed on the front side of the casing.l This part-12V is of a construction well known end consists of two parts .16, 17 which osclllate on a common sha-ft 18, see Fig. 1, and

form a channel 19 to llet pass the coins Y thrown in. The channel 19 or the parts 16,

17 forming it are made at lthe end in an angle 20, as shown in Fig. 2, and discharge linto a chute 23 arranged belowthem which is attached in a suitable manner, for example by a bracket 21, to a supporting plate 22 tired on the partition-wall 1. This chute leadsthe coins 'discharging from the tester -121 to the Second tester 13. Thelatter accomplish a determinate function, z'. e.- the `consists of a sleeve or cylinder which, las is.l more distinctively described lateron, fateach operation of the selling mechanism de#` scribed `above by a coin thrown in is :auto- Vm'atically rotated byv a fragment of its cir- .cuniference gi'jfEach of thetesters 12 Vand f13 has to testerl2 the construction of which Vwell I known servesto 'test the coins introduced .in I' respect -to their greatness, shape' and weight, 15;.'-

that is'to 'say it leads only such coins to the *ff chute'23 .which have the greatness, shape .1. and,v weight required to actuate the appara- 'if tifisfV in the 'regular manner. The second 'tester'l the'particularcombination of which with-A the tester 12 is an essential Afeature -ofthe invention, has the function to test the coins introduced in respect to their material,

that the -`coins dischargingfrom the tester `f12 at first must fall a determinate distance this testerbeing so larranged and constructed (through the chute 23) .before'it-drops upon vthe ytester 13 and are forwarded from this'4 or cut out to procure a free passage forv the coin rebounded. On the other 'hand the chute23. and the entering opening 25 of the .chute 24 are arranged inclined to the tester f in such a manner that they lie nearly in the direction of the dropping and vrebounding of the coins so that any dropping'out of a coin into the interior of the casin of the apparatus is prevented. Thus t e coin 27 thrown in, if it has the required elasticity, willr rebound from the 'bounding-piece 13,-' as shown in Fig. 2, and will thereby enter into the slot 25 Vof the chute 2411s shown in dotted- On the contrary, if a coin is of lines at 27a. bad or spurious mater1a1,1 t will roll down from the piece 13, as shown 1n dotted lines at 27b andarrive at a conduit 28 which may be so arranged that the bad or spurious coin will be returned to the customer or brought to the usual or a without having released the vendmg mechanism. Thus fromthetesterto a. catch device 29 which leadsv back these coins directly to the deecial receptacle forV such coins uriouscoins are held backl .J .y bythe tester 12 and released 'from itat each operation of the apparatus drp`d1re'ctly 'livery opening. The arrows 'in the drawlngs indicate the paths which the diversecoins take when passed through 'the testers.

The mechanlsm for the'automatic operat- Upon the mainV shaft 9 of the vending 'ing ofthe coin testers lare the following:V

mechanism is an eccentric 30 which works l pin 34 which is. fastened rigidly Atoan arm 35 of an angle-lever 35, 36 which oscillates upon a shaft 37 journaled'in the partition-v wall 1 of the casing. Upon the shaft 37 is situated a spring 38 which governs the angle lever insuch a manner that it`always returns automatically the lever to its position 'of rest. Jointly connected with the lever arn 35 is further a draw-bar 39jthe'other end of which is jointly attached `to an oscillating lever 40 one end of which oscillates on a shaft 41 bearing in the plate 22; -The' end of the rod 39 is adjustable on the lever 40 by means of ,a slot 42 and screw 4 3, to regulate, the stroke of the lever 40. At the free end lever. The awl meshes' with a' Vratchetpiece 13 and rotating with it on. ashaft 47 -o the lever LIO-'a pawl 44 is journaled which is governed by a spring 45'attached t0 Ythe' bearing inthe plate 22. The other arm 3d of the angle-lever works against a .pi-n 48 attachedlto the 'movable part 16 of thetester j 12, 4oscillating on the journal 18.

The tester device operates as follows:

Ater one has thrown in a'coin through the opening 15 and the same haspassed the tester'12 and '13 in the manner described before and has come through the-chute 24 to the releasing mechanismof the apparatus and thereby the driving motor,the vending mechanismcomes in action' during vwhich the shaft 9 makes always onel whole rotation. Thereby the eccentric 30 attached thereto also rotates once wholly inthe direction of the arrow in Fig. 3, working 'against theroller 31 'of the lever 33 'so that the latter oscillates aside. Thus the lever moves. the pin 34 of the lever arm 35 also aside so-that further the angle-lever 35, 36 oscillates aside whereby its upper arm 36 works against the pin 48 of the tester 12, which p in is raised, Vwhile 'the other -arm 35 draws forth therod 39 connected therewith. Thereby. the pawl44 attached to the lower. Yend of therod moves the ratchet-wheel of the tester 13 forward. Thus, after each throwing in of'a coin a. simultaneous action of both parts of the testing device takes place, z'. e. by lifting the pin 48 by the lever arm 36 thetester 12 is opened .whilethe `parts I6-and 1 7 are opened (see the posi# tin Aindtaitedv by doti-,ed lines in Fig. 1)

sothat coins which are thrown in during the operation of the apparatus fall out from shape.

- and the takes place .at

-the bounding-piece while it slides along both bow-arms. *Both movements, the vary-f `'main-shaft 9. a

its other end,

i armV 52 the upper end 'downward in Astrip 4 which connected with lthe shaft 54' the tester `without further passing and are led back by the catch device 29 to the delivery opening of the lapparatus'. Therefore the correct-operation of the apparatus being not hindered bycoins. which areV thrown'inat a' time at which a throwing in shall not take place.

forward by the other lever arm so 'that each coin thrown in drops upon another, fresh surface of the boundingfpiece. the correct function of theilatter is always insured. Simultaneously at each time an automatic cleaning .ofthe bounding-piece takes place thereby. As the drawings show l beneath the bounding-piece a bow 50 is supported upon a bracket 49,'the arms of the bow termlnlt-,mg tightly on the bounding-piece 'so that they slide upon them if it rotates lThereby any dirt whichV rests on the bound-l ing-piece and which by the coins thrown in is removed a ain bounding-piece is -always ept clean. This cleaning by the scraper 50 each moving forward 'of ing of the rebounding surface and the automatic cleaning ofthe Founding-piece at each throwmg in ofl a coin cause an utmost exact and sure o .eration oft-he test-er. If desired, the boun ing-piece may also be adjusted lengthwise to vary the bounding-surface also `in the direction of its length. It isinsured in its position upon the shaft 47 by an ad Justing screw 51. v

By-the acting of the lever 33 through the further device is simultaneously operated which'causes the automatic stlepping of thevending mechanism if the w o e vending materia-l placed in the appa-- with -that it has always the tendency to oscillate in the direction ofthe arrow of Fig.v 3 and thereby to move the other leverv arm 5 the direction of -the arrow. Rigidly fastened upon the shaft 54 is Vfurther a lever arm 58 situated inside of the vendlng mechanism which is located between the upper rollers 5 in such a manner that it always slides againstthe material-V passes through the rollers. oth leverarms' 55 and`58 are rigidly the lever arm Ash lfull lines.

Furthermore the' Now if the off-the strip-shaped ma- 4bounding-piece -13 is Simultaneously rotated Thereby 1s mainly supplied' dotted lines.,

.the apparatus, Alast but one strip-part held between the outside of the casingY to swin forward V-inffthe direction of the arrow, y the lever.;` 58 sliding always againstthe strip,"so that the lever arm 56 isjheld up in apcsiti' shown in Fig. 3 in terial laced in the a paratus, has' passed the rol ers 5, 6 andthe flyer arm 58 finds no more a supportv onlthe'strip the lever arms 55 isV always retained. lfrom its tendency -l `58',.55`,;by the overweight of the latter, swing forward into the posltio'nshown in Fig. 3 by dotted lines. Thereb comes also in the lowere position indicated by dotted lines.

At each movement of the shaft 32 inthe direction of the arrow Fig. 3

fthe lever arm 56 which movementtakes place, r asdescribed before, at each throwing in of a coin, the

arm 52 swings in the direction? of the rotation of this shaft, z'. e. in regarding Fig. 3, itswings to the right into The' deliverin rated .strip-pieces now takes p mannerthat every .time that strip-piece is separated and delivered whichlies between th position shown of the sepaac e in such'a I' the lower rollers 6, while simultaneously the strip-piece which was beforebetween theju'p-y per rollers 5, leavcsthese rollers and enters between the lower rollers until it is delivered by a further yoperation of the apparatus'. The arrangemenhof levers as rdescribed is ,put in action now if there is 'they last strlp-part-'between the upper rollers 5 and the last' but one strip-part to 'be vdelivered-between the lower rollers 6. In this positionof the strip-parts remaining in if av coin is thrown in, the

rollers 6 is separatedvand through the rollers carried outward of the vending mech! anism, to the delivery opening. .At the" same time the 'testers are operated in the manner .as described before, while the sha-ft 32 and the lever-arm 52 connected therewith swing in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3, and the lever-arm 52 comes into a position indicated by dotted lines. After the delivering of the last but one strip-part by the rollers 6 the laststrip-part; enters between these rollersin leaving the rollers 5. Thereby thevlever-arm 58 loses its support which it had be fore on the strip, so that the lever-arm 55` swings forward in the direction of the arrow and the arm 5G sinks in thedirection of the arrow. By this the notch 57 of this arm comes into a position before the pin of the arm 52 moves laterallyso that therefore after delivering of the last but one strippart the arm 52 is not able to go back into its position of rest and thus theshaft 32 rests also in the position of action. Thus also .the levers 33 and 35, 36 remain in their position of operation indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, so that on the one hand the tester 12 is heldin the opened position indicated by dotted lines in Fig.` 1, and on the other hand the ratchet mechanism`39, 40,

44, 46 for the tester remains stopped. '.Thus,

' under its scope 4may be open tester 12 into the catch-device 29 and are therefore led back to the delivery opening of the apparatus without having any 1nfluence upon the mechanism. The essential lfeature of the invention in view of this farrangement is, the combination of the" testers.

with the stopping mechanism land the common operating of all three mechanisms by onlyone shaft,namely by the main-shaft 9 of the mechanism. The last strip-part remaining in the apparatusmay be 1n a condition to be used or-not. It is understood of course that the invention is not limited to the modifications of the single' parts given as an example in the VVdrawings, but regards every modification w ch accomplish the same or nearly the same eifects.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-

V 1. In acoin-controlled apparatus, in combination', the main shaft, a plurality .fof

means for; automatically testing the weight, slze, shape and the' material of the coins,

of means is automatically operated by 'the vmovement of said main shaft.

' 2.-"In a .com-controlled apparatus, in com-.-

bination, the main shaft, means for -testing the s1ze and shape of the coins, second means `forl testing the material of the coins, means whereby each of said means is simultaneously @and automatically operated by.'said -main shaft, and means to lock the main shaft at a determined period. 3. In coin-controlled apparatus, a pair of independent movable'vcoin --testers opera:-

my signature 1n tively connected to move in slibstantial unison, an operating shaftlintermittently actuated, and means connecting said shaft with one of the testers, the movement of the shaft lmpartlng movement to said testers.

4. In coin-controlled apparatus, a pair of testers for testing different qualities in a' coin, said testers operating on a'coinsuc- -cessivelyuand being movable, meansfor operatively connecting they testers .to move in substantial unison an operating shaft intermittently actuat and means connecting said shaft with vone of the testers, the movement of` the shaft imparting movement to both testers.

5. In a coin-controlled machine, in oo mbination, an operating shaft, a pair of 1ntermittently movable coin testers, and means connecting said testers with said shaft whereby the latter will operate eachof the testers upon its actuation.

6. In a coin-controlled apparatus, a piv* oted coin tester, a chute communicatingtherewith, a rotatable coin tester at the base of' said chute, a ratchet carried bythe rotatable coin tester, 'a pivoted arm carrying a-'pawl to engage with -said ratchet, a rod connecting said arm with said first coin tester, an Aoperating shaft,

v7. In a coin-controlled apparatus, 'a pair and means whereby said shaft when actuated will move Y :said pivoted' coin tester and thereby actuate- "said rod to cause saidv rotatable coin tester -to partially rotate.

and means whereby each Vof said plurality 'of intermittently movable spaced-apart coin 1 testers, and means whereby the movement.

of one will be communicated A to and operate A the other.

In testimony whereof I have set hereuntothe presence of two wil?- nesses.

HENRY HASPER, WoLDEmn HAUPT. 

